Creating Safe Spaces and Healing Hearts for Bright Futures

Suva, Fiji, 3 April 2025 – A staggering number of Pacific children, some as young as five, experience abuse, neglect, and mental health challenges both in and out of school. Strengthening child protection mechanisms in schools will enhance capacity to manage risks to children, ensuring their safety and well-being wherever they may be affected.

Representatives from the education systems of 11 Pacific Island countries have come together for a two-day Regional Conference on Counselling and Child Protection Policy in Schools this week. They are collaborating and sharing resources to address gaps and to overcome challenges in prioritizing a safe, protected school environment.

They are also focusing on creating quality inclusive and accessible child protection policies, ensuring these translate into concrete actions within school communities.

Rates of violence against children in the Pacific remain among the highest in the world and is evidenced in all the countries in the region where the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey* and other research projects have been conducted so far. In Fiji and Nauru, 81 per cent of children aged between 1-14 years have experienced violent discipline, while the number increases to 91 per cent in Samoa.

“With high rates of violence and abuse in the region, safe schools with quality counselling and strong child protection systems are critical,” said UNICEF Pacific Representative, Jonathan Veitch. “Urgent action is needed to strengthen support systems and ensure that every child receives the protection and care they deserve within the school environment.”

The 11 Pacific Island Countries participating in the conference include Fiji, Nauru, Kiribati, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Republic of Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau.

This regional conference is part of UNICEF's contribution to the PacREF partnership, which is funded through support from the Global Partnership for Education, Government of New Zealand, and the Asian Development Bank. 

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